Valdai Paper #20: Social Commons: A New Alternative to Neoliberalism

The 20th Valdai Paper is devoted to the “social commons” concept as an alternative to existing neoliberalism model.

The author describes the development of social polices since 1950s based on neoliberalism platform, as well as the role of international organizations and national governments and their approach to solving social problems and resumes that there is an urgent necessity of welfare states’ reformation. There supposed an alternative – to make several social constructions, the social protection first, into the commons. Up to the author’s opinion, such social commons can protect society and take care of the immaterial and material needs of people, thus being both “bread and roses.”

The author of the article is Francine Mestrum, President of Global Social Justice, Member of the Board of CETRI (Centre Tricontinental), Brussels, Belgium.